Plant and tree culture apparatus



(No Model.) zsne'ets-sheet 1.:

W. J. DENNIS. l PLANT AND TREE GULTURE APPARATUS.

No. 349,087. Vlaan-.fmta sept. 14, 1886.

. lll llllllllllllllllllmll l.IIIIHIMIIIIIIIIIIIII N. PErEHS, Pmlo-uamgnpher, waxmngioync (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J'fDB'NNIs. PLANT AND TREE CULTURE APPARATUS. No.-3 49,08 7. y Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

N, PETERS. Phawulhugmpher, washington. n. C

fw I l t m' t NITED STATES PATENT VILBERT J. DENNIS, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.v

` PLANT AND TREE CULTURE APPAATUS.

.SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,087, dated September 14, 1886. A pplication filed/*January 19, 1886. Serial No. 159,084. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wimmer J. DENNrs, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Plant and Tree Culture Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of' apparatus for the destruction of insects in the foliage of plants and trees by injecting upon said plants a suitable insecticide fluid, and the objects of my improvements are to provide, in connection with a tank, a vehicle provided with a bent axle capable of passing over tall plants without injury; second, to provide the Vehicle and tank with means for forcing into or from the latter a continuous stream of a suitable liquid; third, Lo protect the driver from any spray of' said liquid. I attain these objects by the apparatusillustrated in accompanying drawings, in which-.- K

Figure l is atop view of the apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the rotary pump and pipes connected with a portion of the tank. Fig. -l is a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal section of one of the nozzles. Fig. (i is a vertical section of said nozzle. Fig. 7 is a vertical section ofthe rotary pump.

Similar letters referto simi lar parts throughout the several views.

The driving-wheels A are connected by the axle B, having its central portieri bent upward for about one-third of its length to permit it to pass over rows of cotton and other plants without injuring them, To this elevated portion of the axle is secured the tongue C of the vehicle, and also the frame C', that supports the tank D substantially centrally over the axle. This tank is to contain the poisonous liquid usedfor the destruction of worms,

' insects, &c.,`on cotton and other plants, and

secured a horizontal sti rrer or rake, d', to continuously stir the ingredients within the tank, the substance being generally admitted into the tank through an opening in the top, that is afterward closed by a cap-plate, D. To the upper end of the shaft cl is secured a pulley, di, around which is passed an endless chain, d, that passes also around a pulley, a, mounted upon the hub of one of the driving-wheels. Guide-pulleys d* and d5 are mounted on brackets projecting, respectively, from the upper side of the axle and from the side of the tank to properly direct the chain from the driving= pulley c to the pulley d'1..

To fill the tank with water a rotary pump, E, is secured to the vertical portion of the axle B, or to some support alongside thereof. Through the center ofthe pump passes a horizontal shaft, e, supported in bearings b secured to the axle. Upon the outer end of the shaft e' is mounted a sleeve, e2, connected therewith with a spline and carrying a pin` ion, e. This sleeve and pinion can be made to Slide back and forth upon the end of the shaft by means of the hand-lever c", having its free end within reach of the driver in his seats, and its pivot on abracket projecting from one of the bearings b of the shaft. The pinion c3 can :thus be thrown in and out of gear with the gear-wheel c2 mounted upon the hub of one of the driving-wheels. The rotary pump is provided with three pipes, fffg, inserted in its periphery. The pipe fstands vertically above the pump, and has a substantially horizontal branch pipe, f i, leading tothe main distributing-pipe G. The pipe f/ leads the liquid from the rotary pump to the bottom of the tank D while said tank is to be filled, or from the tank to the pump while the machine is in operation. The pipe]v2 is provided with a flexible hose, j", to take water from any direction by inserting its outer end into a brook, a pond, or any other water-reservoir.

When the tank D is to be filled, the machine is brought alongside of a water-reservoir, and the outer end of the hosef" inserted therein. One end of the axle B is then elevated a few inches with a lifting-jack, J, or any other suitable device,'until the driving-wheel A carrying the gear-wheel c is off the ground. It is then rotated by a person taking hold of the handle a3 projecting from the outer side and IOO the pinion e, and the piston of the pump is l thus rapidly rotated until the tank D is nearly full of water, (the coekfi upon the pipcf having been previously closed, and the poisonous mixtureintroduced into thetank.) The cock f is then closed, andthe pinion ei; thrown out of gear. The machine is then in proper eon dition to be driven to a iield for operation.

'lhc distributing-pipe G is located immediately in the rear ol" the tank, and extends bcyond the outer side ot" the wheels a sutticient distance to sprinkle l'our rows of cotton-plants at a time. From the rear ol' t-he distributingpipe tour pipes, G', are projecting, and each one may be provided with a cock, and between the pipe ('l and the end ot' thc nozzles H two swiveled joints, I1 and 11, are placed, each one at right angles to the other, so that the outer end ol` the nozzle can be made to point horizontally or vertically, or in any direction to reach plants ol' any size.

Vhen the maehineis in a field ready l'or 0peration, the pinion e is put into gear with the eog-wheel au, and the pump is operated automaticall y as the apparatus is drawn along. The cock f" being open, the liquid iiows from the tank through the pipes f into the rotary pump, and from the latter through the pipes f andf to the distributing-pipe. To prevent any sti-rain on these pipes in case the diameter of the nozzle is too small, there is placed in' the upper end of the pipef a small chamber, fi, containing a spiingvalve, j, to resist the issue of the liquid at that point until tbe adjustable pressure ofthe spring upon said valve has been overcome. The liquid flows then through the spout, issuing from the side of said chamber f7, back into the tank.

To prevent any ofthe poisonous sprayed liquid falling upon the driver, he is protected by a concave-convex shield, L, in the form of a niche, with outwardly-cmved edges Z. Said shield partly incloscs and overhangs his seat and delieets toward the rear any liquid that may l'all thereupon.

lconnected by gearing with the hub of one et thc driving-wheels, a pipe leading from the tank into the said pump, and a pipe leading back from said pump into the tank, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In an apparatus for destroying insects, the combination of a tank mounted upon the upwardly-bent axle ot' driving-wheels, a rotary pump having its shaft connected with the hub of one ol' said wheels and leading back into said tank, and a pipe controlled by a springvalve at its upper end with a distributingpipe having nozzles swiveled at two points, substantially as and tor the purpose described.

In an apparatus for destroying insects, the combination of a tank mounted upon the upwardly-bent-axle ofdriving-wheels,and a rotary pump having a pipe 'leading back into said tank and controlled by a spring-valve at its upper end, with the drivers seat in front of the tank and the coueavo-convex shield for said seat, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

VILBERT J. DENNIS.

\Vitnesses:

C. H. PHINIZY, PHILIPP C. Gtosr. 

